Man Being Transported to Hospital Attacks EMT, ER Tech, and Nurse

SCRANTON, PA – Police said a Scranton man attacked an emergency medical technician, an emergency room technician and a nurse Sunday evening after being hospitalized for injuries suffered in a fall.

After falling down at Keyser Avenue and Oak Street and being transported by ambulance to Community Medical Center, Robert Kitch, 50, 708 N. Main Ave., second floor, punched an EMT who was explaining Mr. Kitch’s injuries to a nurse, according to a criminal complaint.

While attacking the EMT, Mr. Kitch also hit the nurse in the nose, police said.

A city police officer working extra duty at CMC intervened and had to threaten to use his Taser before Mr. Kitch calmed down and could be restrained, the complaint said.

Mr. Kitch was later taken to have a CAT scan performed because of his head injury. He tore a cervical collar off himself, at which point an emergency room technician tried to put it back on him, according to the complaint. Mr. Kitch then choked the man, stopping only when a police officer deployed his Taser on Mr. Kitch twice, according to the complaint.

Mr. Kitch was charged with three counts each of aggravated assault and simple assault, and one count each of disorderly conduct and criminal mischief. He was released on $10,000 unsecured bail.